DC: Is it Really a Countdown to the End?

My first stop of the day was a DC Comics panel on Countdown. I had expected this to be a normal discussion with the people on stage talking for a while then opening the floor to questions from the audience. Instead, after the introductions of Dan DiDio, editors Mike Marts, Mike Carlin, artists Jim Calafiore and Dan Jurgens, writers Paul Dini, Sean McKeever, Adam Beechen, Tony Bedard, Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti the floor was immediately opened to questions. As usual, many questions could not be answered so as not to give away future plots. So, on to the random comments questions that could be answered.

When Dan DiDio asked the audience if Jimmy Olsen really must die his answer was a loud round of clapping and whistles. It seems that the top reason for wanting him dead is his bow-tie.

Mary Marvel is more popular with her new black look. Everyone seemed to be tired of her being too good.

One attendee asked why Countdown did not focus more on the death of Bart Allen. Well, since Bart was the Flash, he should die in the Flash title. His death was referenced by other characters in Countdown, but he was not the main focus. The main Countdown book centers on characters that do not have their own titles, but shows how the effects in the rest of the DCU change their lives.

For those of you that are curious on the various Legions that are running around, please be patient. There is a plan in place and by this time next year we will have answers. Don't forget, next year the Legion turns 50.

The Kingdom Come universe will soon tie into the Justice Society of America.

With the appearance of the new 52 worlds, is Vertigo now one of these worlds? Sadly, at this time Vertigo will remain separate from the normal DCU. Since the Vertigo titles are for Mature Audiences, DC doesn't want to force readers into picking up books that might be inappropriate for them by having the Vertigo characters in DCU books.

Yes Virginia, there is an All-Star Squadron title in the works.

Booster Gold will be very important to the DCU in the near future. While many things were fixed with bringing back the multiverse, Time is still broken. Booster will spend his time trying to fix, um, time.

Batwoman is back next week.

Believe it or not there is a plan on how and when to reveal all 52 worlds. This is being very closely managed by everyone at DC.

When Bart Allen died the Titans of Tomorrow storyline came into question. Is there a plan to explain this? Teen Titans #50 focuses on a memorial for Bart and will help explain the Titans of Tomorrow.

Now is not a good time to be a New God. You have been warned.

On the lighter side, someone wanted to know why the Superman/Doomsday bags that are being given out are so huge. DiDio joked that it had to be this size to hold Countdown and all the crossovers that you need to read. ;-)

Another person wanted to know if it was really unlucky to have been in Young Justice? The panel joked that first they started killing off JLI and then Young Justice and that there would be votes taken for the next group that everyone wanted to see dead. Heh.

The show ended with an announcement that as of issue 26 the Countdown title would change to Countdown to Final Crisis. Maybe it is just me, but I feel that this announcement should have been followed by some sort of ominous music.